Spring mattress construction



May 12, 1953 N. c. GOLDBERG 2,637,853

SPRING MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION Filed July a, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTORI Mrl/llv'bzaaim mm 32 g/CM h 46 Kw ATTORNEY-1;.

M y 12, 1953 N. c. GOLDBERG 2 ,637,858

SPRING MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION Filed July 8, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 2,1953 N. c. GOLDBERG 2,637,858

SPRING MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION Filed July8, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .ZDBTFIH 60 44 6/ I v Q I) 59 INVENTORZ NATHAN C. qouaamc v BY W MW,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING MATTRESSCONSTRUCTION Nathan: C. Goldberg, New York; N. .Y.

ApplicationJiily. 8';,1949,SerialNo. 103,617

3 Glaiins: 1.

fhiisinvention is a novel spring mattress C011- struction, being a classor type of structurecommonl'y referred to in the art as an inner springmattress, falling within (ll'ass 5 Beds, subclass;35l

Spring Mattresses.

Such. a structure commonly comprises as its interior portion, a springyconstruction composed in. greatp'art of metal spring. elements,including the conventional upright coil springs giving'depthtothemattress, andincl'uding also at each: of the upper andlowersurfaces or metal fabrics ofth'e mattress inner portion a series ofmembers called ties, in. the form. of tlewires, havin a generallongitudinal arrangement; the end, or top and bottom, convolutions ofthe coil springs being in theupper and lower bounding planes of" themattress, and arranged so. that. each such end? convolution falls.between twoof. the. tiewires or at leastadjacentto one wire, the. systemas a Whole thereby providing a large number of tie. points ateach ofwhich a.tiewire, which. may be of cable fcrmis-tied, asby a clip. ofplate or Wireconstruction to at least one of. the adjacent. coilsprings, usually to a pair of. adjacent coilsprings; these elements, andthe numerous clips or. other ties or connectors, providing. theunitaryspringrinetal mattressinterior portion. Themetal. elements at the upperplane or top surface. of. the. spring structure may be considered a.metal or spring fabric, and the same with the bottom elements. Anothercommon element of. a spring, mattress innerstructure is a peripheralwire or flexible element providing: arim for the metal fabric,

, top or bottom, andv tied in with the. coil springs,

tion is directed more particularly to the improvement of the interiormetallic structure; wherefore. the woven fabric covering needs butlittle illustration or description. A complete spring mattress may ofcourse be practically used to overlie any type of bed bottom, referredto in Class 5 subclass 230 etc; which bottom may" be a spring bottom,conventionally'known as a bedspring, mountable upon the bed frame andgiving support to the mattress; these two articles of manufacture, theunderlying bedspring; and the overlying springjmattress being distinctlydifferent articles involving distinct problems and characteristics ofstructure and action. An instance of a bedspring'is the prior'patentGoldberg 21381990 of 1945 in subclass" 267', while an instance of aspring mattress is the patent'ofhevine 2,197,131 of 1940 in subclass-273. W

The general. objects of the present invention "are to" afford. a springmattress constructionof improved, efiiciency. and resiliency as well asstrength" and durability. A specific object is to improve, throughoutthe structure, the form's'of the. various component metal elements andtheir operation, and to provide for strong and, permanentinterconnections between the main elements; namely, the helical uprightor coil springs and the tiewires; and, as another feature, to providesuch interconnections in a manner to prevent practically, any slippage,for example longitudinally as. between the coil spring convolutions andthe. Wires or tie-cables which extend longitudi nally and are tied orclipped to the coil springs at the numerous tie points of the structure.

Other and. further objects and advantages of theinventionwill beexplained in the hereinafter following, description'of an embodiment ofthe invention or will be understood by those con..- versantwith thesubject. To the attainment of such objects andadvantages the presentinvention. consists. in the novel spring mattress construction, andthenovel cooperative elements and combinations comprisedtherein, and themode of action thereof, illustrated by several examples in theaccompanying description and drawings.

In the. accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 may be considered as an. exampleof a first form of the invention. shown as a top plan view of a partialareaof. aspring mattress construction; it being understoodthat in bottomview the fabric structure may be either identical with the top view,the. mattress in such case being reversible, or may. beofd'iiferentconstruction; Fig. 1 showing a substantial area of the metal fabric,and. a smallarea. of the wovenfabric of the mattress cover. For.purposes of'description herein the disclosure. of' the metal fabricpoints of novelty may be. treated'as those of the top fabric,irrespective ofthe construction of the metallic bottom fabric of thecomplete spring mattress.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the metal structure of Fig.1, comprising a plurality ofthe upright coilsprings and the top and'bottom'fabric's of the structure; the top and bottom fabrics being slightlydifferent.

Fig; 3"on a larger scale shows in expanded top view a'p-ortion-of Fig:l, in the neighborhood of a" tie point, 'but'with the connecting clipomitted, andthe tiewire and adjacent coilsprings shown separated awayfrom each other.

Fig'. 4fis a vertical section of a detail taken on the section line 4-4of 2 extending through one-ofthe tie points between a tiewire andadjacent coil springs,

Fig; 5 is aperspective view of one form of a connecting clip, of" theplate variety, although various other forms of clip, whether plate:clips or'wiie clips; arewell known and are available for the purposesof-"this invention.

While the above described i to 5 dis,- clos'e 'the first, embodiment ofthe" present in- "vention-y severali other. forms: and: modificationsthereof, having features in common with the first form, are shown in theremaining figures, wherein Fig. 6 shows a small area of a second form ofspring fabric in plan view; while Fig. 7 is a detail of the plate cliparrangement taken in vertical section on the line '!1 of Fig. 6. Figs.8, 9 and 10 are sectional views like Fig. 7 showing substitute ways ofaccommodating tie and coil wires in plate clips, adapted to be used inarrangements like those of Figs. 1, 6, 7 or 11. Fig. 11 shows a thirdform in 'top'view with the clip seen in section; a vertical crosssection of which could correspond with any of Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

Fig. 12 in completed top view, and Fig. 13 before completion, show, as afourth form, a wire clip produced from an offset loop of tiewire, inlieu of a plate clip, and usable with certain other illustrated forms.

, Fig. 14 in top view like 6 or Fig. 11 shows as a fifth form avariation of plate clip arrangement, the clip shown in section.

Fig. 15 shows a sixth form, in plan view, wherein the adjacent coilspring convolutions are somewhat separated and out of tangency,

with double-loop interconnections between coils and each loop formedfrom a common'tiewire and clipped to one coil spring.

Fig. 16 in top view, and Fig. 1'? is an enlarged sectional view throughthe clip show a seventh form embodying variations over Figs. 6,11 and14. Fig. 18 in top view, and Fig. 19 in side elevation show an eighthform of spring mattress fabric wherein the upright coils are wellseparated from each other both transversely and longitudinally betweencoil rows, with special tiewires and with clips at the tie points, eachclip tying but one coil to one tiewire.

20 in top view, and Fig. 21 in elevation, and Fig. 22 in detailperspective, and Fig. 23 in section on line 2323 of Fig. 21 shows aninth form of the invention containing several modifications over otherforms, and with plate clips shown at the tie points.

Fig. 24 is a top view like part of Fig. 20 showing modified features andthe use of wrapped wire clips, as a tenth form.

The three sheets of drawings, by means of twenty-four figures show tendifferent forms I of the invention, which is a spring mattressconstruction of the kind whose spring structure is of substantial depthdue to the conventional system of upright coil springs that are arrangedin longitudinal rows and in methodical transverse arrangements, betweenthe top and bottom surfaces or spring fabrics of the structure. Takingup the different forms in succession these will be described as toadditional conventional elements, arrangements and relations and variousfeatures of novelty of which the underlying features extend through allof the disclosed forms.

The first form of the invention is that shown on sheet i in Figs. 1 to5, wherein the showing of the construction is confined to a few of theunits, it being understood that the elements of the units'may beextended to any de-' sired length and width of spring mattress, withrepetition of structure from unit to unit. The springy metal structure3! as a whole is built up of the coil spring elements and certain tyingelements which serve to interconnect the upright coil springs atinterior points while a bounding or rim element serves similarly to tie4 together and interconnect circumferentially the coil spring system, atboth the upper and the lower surfaces or fabrics of the springstructure.

The metal or spring structure 30 is shown as comprising the conventionalupright coil springs 3|, positioned in longitudinal rows, extending fromleft to right in Figs. 1 and 2. Each coil spring, as usual, has a topend convolution 32 and a bottom end convolution 33; and in this form ofthe invention the end of the spring wire forming for example the topconvolution is bent into a closing device or hitch 34, the wire endbeing bent centrally and twisted around the inner end of the topconvolution, which is thus permanently closed into an approximate ringor circle. For gripping or tying purposes each end convolution may beformed with one or two or more offsets 35, each creating a small recessor bay taking part in the interconnections at each tie point. It is tobe understood that in general the top and bottom spring fabrics aresubstantially alike, so that it is sufficient to describe the top fabricof the spring structure, the bottom structure being usuallysymmetrically similar thereto.

When the spring structure has been completely assembled and attached itforms a unitary metal interior 30, which however is not serviceable as aspring mattress without a Woven fabric or other soft sheet material madein a size and shape to receive and snugly enclose the spring structure;and such a cover element 36 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. There may also bethe usual stuffing or matted or felted material interposed between themetal elements and the woven cover of the mattress, in a conventionalway.

Referring further to the spring structure, there is shown a peripheralspring wire 31, constituting a rim Wire or bounding element extendingcircumferentially around the entire structure and being attached byclips or devices 38 to the tangentially outer tie point of each of theperipheral coil springs, that is, to the top and bottom end convolutionsof the coil springs; thus affording circumferential interconnection forthe system of coil springs. The yieldable border wire 31 ischaracteristic, in spring mattresses, in having universal resilience.

Having thus described the coil springs and their peripheralinterconnecting means or rim wire, it remains to describe the system oflongitudinal tiewires 39 and 40, constituting parts of the top andbottom spring fabrics, and the interconnecting devices or clips by whichthe system of tiewires is interconnected in the structure, e. g. withthe system of coil springs. As is conventional the illustrated tiewiresrun generally longitudinally, within the top and bottom fabrics, eachtiewire extending adjacently to at least one row, and preferably tworows of coil spring end convolutions, the tiewires being clipped to suchconvolutions along a series of tangential tie points, thus affordinginterior interconnection for the system of coil springs. Such coilsprings being thus interconnected efiiciently both peripherally andinteriorly the entire spring structure is effectively unified,constituting an article of manufacture adapted readily to be completedinto a serviceable spring mattress by the addition of stufiing materialand enclosing cover as described.

The longitudinal ends of the tiewires, whether these wires be built upof sections connected in tandem or be of continuously unitary character,may have their ends held or resiliently anchored.

at the two ends of the mattress, for example by reason of being fastenedor clipped to the optional peripheral or border wires 3?. In this waythe complete interconnection of all of the metal parts of the mattressis afforded, with the required yield in every direction.

The spring structure thus indicated is characterized in thatthelongitudinal tiewires t9 and M are formed with definite zigzagstretches or areas -4l at each of a series of portions of the tiewirealong its length, for example in the place or stretch, between each twoof the tie points at which the tiewires are firmly clipped or bound tothe end convolutions of the coil springs.

In reciting a zigzag portion or stretch of each generally longitudinaltiewire it is intended to refer to a wire portion manipulated andformed,

as in a sinuate manner, into a series of cross folds or loops by thebending of the wire back and forth transversely to the general length,and in a manner to provide a substantially fiat openwork area ofsubstantial lateral width at each of these places; thereby enhancing thetotal supporting action given by the spring structure, and minimizingthe presence of large unsupporting areas, while improving the lengthwiseresilience of the tiewires and so increasing the general ability toyield. The load-supporting function is enhanced by the formation of acurved crowning of the zigzag area beyond the plane of the topconvolutions, as will be further described.

Figs. 1 to 5 show a form wherein the widened area of the zigzag stretchll oi tiewire, instead of being of uniform transverse extent, is shownor" expanding then contracting width, this varying configuration givingeffective advantages. Further, in said first form, the zigzag stretch,without departing from substantial flatness, is shown in Fig. 2 as ofoutwardly or upwardly arched or bowed contour, indicated at 4'0, thusenhancing the supporting function of the tiewire.

In the first form of the invention, further, it is seen that thetiewires 39 are formed with a few wavy criinps 2 at the tie pointswhereat the binding clips i l are applied to attach the tiewires to thecoil spring end convolutions 32. These clips are of the plate or bandtype and they cooperate to tie rigidly together the tiewire 353 and theadjacent tangential parts of the end convolutions 32, in which tyingaction the offset recesses 35 of the latter partake. The clips aretightly wrapped or wound as in Fig. 4., and each clip constricts thethree elements into firm union. The crimped stretch 42 is shownsymmetrical, as in Figs. 3 and 11, but could be unsymmetrical as shownat 42 in Figs. 6 and 14.

In referring to clips or binders, well known elements per se, thereference includes equivalents, functioning to attach and firmlyconnect, preferably by rigidly binding them together, a pair or severalelongated elements, wires, convolutions and the like. While Figs. 1 to 5show the wrapped band or plate type of clip, the wire type is elsewhereshown as in Figs. 12 and 13 wherein a part of the tiewire is diverted oroffset to provide the clipping material; Figs. 15, 18 and 2l showingseparate forms of wire clip. Mutual attachment by soldering orfuse-welding may sometimes be used, particularly between the clip andtiewire, leaving swinging play between clip and coil sprin The clips M.shown in the first form and others are plate clips, best shown in detailin Figs. 4 and 5, each clip having a body portion 45 with ex-.

.6 tended wings or ends it to beengaged to encircle or'become woundaround .the juxtaposed tiewire and one or two coil springs; if twoadjacent end convolutions are embraced in the clip, this renders theconvolutions substantially tangent to each other, as seenin Fig. 1, thetiewire passing longitudinally through the point of tangency. The clipsmay be applied in various ways, for example as seen in Fig. 4,'toembrace the wires to be clipped together, with the ends of the clipwings tucked inwardly and forcibly driven between the oifsets 35, usingwell known bending methods and machinery, in amanner to leave the partstightly engaged in their connecting and locking position. In referringto tiewires it is to be understood that any equivalent members may beused such as relatively still wire cables. Ordinarily such wires have notensional yield to speak of, but with the zigzag areas at introducedthis permits longitudinal yield under vertical pressure.

he manner in which the coil springs and tiewires are combined and lockedto each other prevents "longitudinal slip, which advantage is aided bythe inclusion in the tiewires or" the wavy stretches or crinips Q2. Theupright coil springs, the height of which gives the depth to themattress, may be of any conventional" type, the drawings indicating thedoublespiral-helix type of spring, having its maximum convolutions atits top and bottom ends. Each of the longitudinal tiewires traverses theseveral tie points in each longitudinal line between coil tops; and itis in spaces between the .tie points of tangency that the zigzag areasare formed, although there may also be a zigzag conformation to eachtiewire as well as at the tiepoints. In any case the zigzag structuremay be considered as one wherein there are successive offsets or bendsin the tiewire reaching horizontally in both directions from thelongitudinal center line of the tiewire. Each tiewire zigzag area mayremain truly fiat and horizontal in normal position, .or the same may benormally somewhat crowned or pre-arched for the purposes alreadyexplained. In Fig. 2 only the topmost tiewire 35 is shown to be bowed orarched, at ll; but as shown in suiiice. To improve t .ccn'volutions andewire c be extended to such an xit each end of the c againstlongitudinal not shown in l to 5, the principle is shown in Figs. 6, l1and 14;. A tr of onlytwo criinps obviously be to afford this lockingaction. Another useful function of the tiewire crimps d2 of 1 to 5 andanalogous structures in other figures is as follows. It is desirable notmerely to prevent each tiewire sliding longitudinally through the tiepoints but to prevent also any turning of the tiewire for the reasonthat such turning would disturb the desired flatwise position, or thearched position, of the zigzag area of the tiewire. This object isattained by reason of the presence in the tiewire of those of the crimpst? which are contained in and en- ..circled by the clip die. As shownthere will .be

two crimps locked inside of the clip, and thus the tiewire is heldagainst rotation, so that its zigzag construction and area will remainin its intended position.

The first form (Figs. l-) and the second form (Figs. 6-7) are partly thesame but differ as follows. In the second form the tiewire crimps 42 atthe exterior are unsymmetrically formed, whereas those in the first formare symmetrical, see Figs. 1 and 3. In the second form, but not in thefirst form, these crimps extend laterally beyond the clip, therebyproviding stops against any longitudinal displacement of the tiewirerelative to the clip. As another difference, the second form does nothave the first form feature of tiewire crimps embraced by the clips, sothat when the clips are wrapped and. tightened they clamp securely thetiewire against turning or rotating, thus functioning to maintainfiatwise the zigzag tiewire areas and prevent the tilting thereof awayfrom the illustrated normal position. In other words the first formshows only one of the two displacement-preventing arrangements, theclamping against rotation, While the second form contains only theprevention of sliding, relying on grip to prevent tilt.

Referring to the second form Fig. 7 sectionally shows the arrangementwithin the plate metal clip 44. The tiewire 39 between the exteriorcrimps 42 extends straightly through the closed clip, e. g. above thetwo top convolutions 32, which thus can be at the same level. Adjacentlyon the drawing are shown three other arrangements of clip in Figs. 8, 9and 10, being some of the many variations possible. It is to beunderstood that metal working machinery is well able to handle themanipulation of each clip in forcibly pressing and clamping it into itspermanent holding position, and thus tying together the systems ofconvolutions and tiewires. Fig. 5 shows the clip 44 partly bent andadapted to be assembled as in Fig. 4 or as in any of Figs. 7 to 10; seealso later Figs. 11, 12, 14, 17, 23 and 24 for other clipping details.

One effective manner of closing the clip is as shown in Figs. 4., 7 and9, wherein the two wings of the clip are thrust and tucked inwardlybetween the tangential parts of two adjacent end convolutions of thecoil springs. In Fig. 10 this plan is carried further in that the clipbody 45 is elongated, and the wings are bent further so that each wingsubstantially encloses a convolution, and these convolutions are thusspaced well apart. In some of this group of figures the interior crimps42 are shown as confined and clamped by the clip; but since clips ofthis kind can be effectively tightened for clamping purposes it issometimes possible to omit the crimps and rely on the clips to hold theparts in relative position; for example in Figs. 16 and 17 the tiewires39, pass undefiected through the tie points, between the zigzag areas4|.

Another variation of arrangement is that shown in Fig. 11 wherein thetiewire crimps 42 are symmetrically disposed contrary to Fig. 6 buthaving a lateral extension sufiicient to cooperate with the clip toprevent longitudinal sliding, contrary to the first form of Figs. 1-5;and like both the first and fifth forms having interior tiewire crimpsacting to prevent rotary displacement. Figs. 12 and 13 show a specialfourth form to be described later. Fig. 14 shows a fifth form whichfollows Fig. 6 to a considerable extent, but wherein the tiewire, whilehaving a wavy or zigzag form at the tiepoint, extends longitudinallyfrom tiepoint to tiepoint without the intermediate areas of zigzagbendings of substantial transverse extent improving the functions ofresilience and load support.

Referring next to the fourth form as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, this hasto do with the employment of a wire clip or binding device asdistinguished from the plate clip shown in various figures; andespecialy has to do with a particular construction of wire clip forclipping together one or a pair of coil spring convolutions with thetiewire extending through each tiepoint. Wire clips per se are wellknown and a simple form thereof is indicated in the lower part of Fig.18. That which is shown in Figs. 12 and 13 however is oi specialcharacter, particularly in its use in interconnecting the elements ofthe spring structure by means of tiewires when the latter are formedwith zigzag widened areas of the character hereinabove disclosed, thesezigzag areas each being located between two consecutive tie points. Fig.12 shows the adjacent convolutions 32 interconnected by the wire cliptil, which clip is constituted of an integral stretch of the tiewire 39itself. This length or stretch of tiewire is bent to shape and thenwound around the convolutions, thus tyin together the convolutions andat the same time tying the two of them to the tiewire 39. In general thecenter line of the tiewire 39 extends through each tie point in alocation substantially tangent to the convolutions, but a predeterminedlength of the tiewire is first bent to shape and then wound into place.Fig. 13 shows the first step of formation, the wire being bent as alateral V-loop, constituting an integral offset from the central portionof the tiewire. When the tiewire, at each tie point, is in properposition relative to the convolutions, it is then simply wound around,for more than one turn and preferably for about two turns, and pressedinto permanent-holding relation, the flared shape of the V-ioop oroffset 50 causing the wire to be laid in its gripping position withoutoverlapping itself.

The sixth form is shown in 15, this havin a unitary tiewire 39 with aseries of zigzag supporting areas H and with successive tie pointsbetween the zigzag areas. I'his embodiment is available when there areparallel rows of end convolutions and it is desired to keep theconvolutions out of contact and well spaced apart, as shown. This may beaccomplished by bending a part of the tiewire at each tie point, in thiscase at a double tie point, into a double hook or loop formation 52,with one end or hook of this device extending toward a convolution in anear row, the complementary end extending to the next row beyond. Such adouble hook 52 preferably has the shape known as a pothook, each thereofaffording double tie points and being an effective manner of embodyingthe present invention in such an arrangement. Each pothook 52 extends inone sense between the two opposite convolutions, linking them together,and in another sense it is interposed between two straight stretches 39of tiewire, and this combined device 39, 52 being interposed between twozigzag areas 4!, all of the same tiewire. For interconnecting eachtiewire, or its pothook, to the two adjacent rows of convolutions thereare indicated a number of simple clips, in this case being wound clipsof wire, each clip connecting one hook end of one pothook 52 to oneadjacent convolution 32.

The seventh form of the invention, shown in 9 Figs. 16 and 1*? arehereinahove partlyreferred to,. is related to some of the precedingforms, such as that of Fig. 6, and having plate clips il he severalpreceding forms but having no 0 set crimes in the tiewires at or nearthe tie point, relying upon the gripping function of the clips to holdtogether the opposite convolutions 32 and the tievvire passing througheach tie point. In the seventh form also the convolutions are withoutthe slight offsets used to accommodate the clips and preventdisplacement thereof upon the convclutions. In the seventh. form areshown the zigzag areas H between the tie points, but. no oirsettirg ofthe tiewire between these areas. The clip M is or the plate type, and.may be like the clips shown in Figs. 4 to 10 or others, each clipinterconnecting the two convolutions and the ties/ire. Instead of theforms shown. in Fig. 10 the clip of Figs. 16 and 17 may be of circularform as indicated at ii in 17, the clip containing the two convolutions32 superimposed above the straight tiewire The eighth form of theinvention, partly derived from the sixth form of 15, is shown in Figs.18 and 19. Again there are shown paral lel longitudinal rows of endconvolutions 321, parts of three such rows being shown. The alternaterows are offset to a suitable extent to cooperate with the illustratedtiewires clips. The convolutions in each row are spaced; apartlongitudinally as customary, and in embodiment the success-.e rows alsoare apart transversely to a substantial extent, this arrangement leavinga fairly Wide space run ning longitudinally between any two adjacentrows. This space is utilized herein to 2.0C0lllmcdate a special form oftiewire with zigzag to tures. Thus, between each. two con rows shown alongitudinal tiewire 565, which is of zigzag formation at and adjacentto the tie points and preferably, as shown, for its 1*. ll length. Inother words 18 shows each tie- Wire 56 to he of or sinuous formation,with transverse loonings, throughout the length of the tiew' re, thisplan materially simplifyin and cheapo ag the manufacture of the spristructure.

By the thus described eighth form of the invention the continuouslylooped tievvire, While clipped to the convoiutions of both rows, is not.at any particular tie point, clipped to co" olutions of the two rows.Moreover, each convolution, While clipped at two points is, each point,clipped only to a single element, the llllitl posed tietvire. In otherwords, each clip of structure clips together just and just one tie-clueloop.

1. EL o any single convolution, this is shown tied-h a clip to a frontloop of tieivire, and by a separate clipit to a back loop tiewire; andthis con be scribed all of the top convolutions and all of 1 the zigzagticwires to may he in the ton plane of the spring structure, and thewith the corresponding elements at bottom thereof. On the other hand, toprovide an -roved supportingstructure each of the algae maybe arched inthose portions of its general length which lie between successive tiepoints; and this structure is indicated in the elevation View Fig. 19wherein in full lines is shown a Continuous zigzag tiewire 5t, arched orcrowned at All between tiepoints analogously to the correspondingshowing in Figs. 2 and 21, and "a dotted lines the next, arch beyond.

The ninth form of disclosure is shown in Figs. 20 to 23 and thestructure will be seen to resemble in general Way the correspondingstructure of the first form in Figs. 1 to 5 although with extensivefeatures, of difference. The ninth form introduces the additionalconception of employing tiewires which are sectional, or built ofseparate lengths or links, as distinguished from those consisting of aunitary continuous and integral Wire as is illustrated in the precedingfig ures. The upright coil springs 35 may be generally conventional eachwith a top convolution 32 and a bottom convolution 33; although thesecoil springs are of special construction and cooperation in the totalstructure. The structure also embodies, at the several tie pointsconventional clips Mi, shown as plate clips, one at each tie point,tying. one or preferaoly two coil spring convolutions to the adjacenttiewire, in this case sectional or discontinuous portions of tiewire.

The skeleton view, Fig. 22, shows that at the top each coil spring,beyond the completion of its circular form, carries a curved extensionwhich extends to the tangential tie point or clip it, and thence beyondthe clip as a straight tangential extension This portion 59 is a truepart of the tiewire, While the curved extension 58 is part of the coilspring but merging into the tiewire portion 59. To complete on Fig. 22the description of one unit or section of the tie wire, beyond thestraight portion or stretch 531, to the left, the tievvire extends toWhere it is shaped into zigzag form, at the area- 68, and therebeyond,leftwardly again, through a straight tangential length ti which ends ina lefthand terminus 62. These directional terms are relative but serveto convey a simpler description of the structure. From Fig. 22 areomitted the clips and all parts other than the integral tiewiresections, top and bottom, and the coil spring iii with it's top andbottom convclutions 32 and 33. Since the top and bottom portions arepreferably identicalthe remainder of the description will be confined tothe top convolutions and the top tiewires of the total strucure,

Referring next to the top view, Fig. 20, and the side-elevation, Fig.21, the arrangements described on. Fig. 22 are seen to he further illus'trated. St rting at the righthand end of Figs. 26 and '21, it is firstseen that the particular feature of disclosure pertains to the side ofeach top convolution 35., 5t, and while the clip is? at each such pointof tangency is seen to accommodate not onl the far portion or 59 of thenear convolution, but the near portion 32 of the next convolution of therow beyond. This latter inclusion is for utilizing the clip to tietogether the tangential of convolutions, but the nortions therof whichtake part in the building up of the tiewire are not at the near side butare at the far side of each convolution. With this understood, the partsand relations providin the tiewires may further explained, taking fordiscussion the tie point and clip it which are at the far side of themost righthand one of the three complete coil spring top convolutions5t. For conveniencedescription the three coil springs 3| that are fullyshown in Figs. and 21, which may be called front coil springs, areidentified by the letters A, B and C placed near the centers thereof, itbeing understood that other identical ones, not shown, are assumed toexist further rightwardly, and also further leftwardly, from the threeso marked; while further beyond are three rear coil springs in the nextrow, correspondingly marked A, B and C.

With attention directed first to the coil spring A and to Figs. 20, 21and 22, each top convolution 32 is extended as the curved portion 58,which passes leftwardly tangentially into the clip 44, located at thetie point, or merging point, the same wire merging leftwardly asintegral straight portion 59 tangent to the convolutions of springs Aand A. Integrally to the left the same wire portion 59 is continued asthe shaped or zigzag portion or area 60 and therebeyond as the straighttangential portion 6| extending through clip 44 between coil springs Band B; the final terminus 62 ending the integrally continued portionscomprising a complete section 59, B0, 61 of the total tiewire.

Each clip 4 for example the one between coils B and B, thus contains, asFig. 23 shows, first, the left end portion 6! of the tiewire sectionthat issues from coil A, second, the straight tangential portion 59 thatissues from coil B, and third, a small part of the top convolution 32 ofthe next coil spring 13 to the rear. And with these the underneath partof the top front convolution, i. e., the part below the merger of 58,58, may be contained within the clip thereto to hold more steadily, attop and bottom, the upright coil spring.

The longitudinal series of sections 59-60-6l that make up each tiewireare interconnected in endwise relation, each section at each of its endsbeing connected or clipped to an alined section, so that each section atits ends enters two clips or clamps, while each clip or connector tiestwo section ends together. Each tiewire section originates just ahead ofone clip and terminates just beyond the next clip. At the same time eachclip is available to clip one or two coil spring tops to these connectedtiewires, either by entry of convolutions into the clips or by theintegral merging of the wire of a convolution with that of a tiewire.

In this way each complete tiewire consists of a number of sections intandem, extending the full length of the mattress spring structure, andwith the extreme longitudinal ends preferably clip connected with theend portions of the border wires 31, when used. Each such sectionaltiewire is thus interconnected with the entire row of coil spring topconvolutions to the front of and to the rear of the tiewire, providing aunitary spring structure with all parts interconnected at the tiepoints. Each tiewire is thus longitudinally built up by an extendednumber of sections or links which are joined to each other in tandem;the joining means in the disclosed embodiment being the clips 44, at thetie points, each such clip enclosing and gripping the second or lefthandend of one tiewire section and alongside it the first or righthand endof the next section to the left. The interconnection of the tiewiresections is thus rigid, by reason of the form of the attachments orclips, whereas in some cases a pivotal interconnection could serve. Anadvan-- tage of the rigid connection is that each of these clips can bemade to contain not only the first preceding section, but also a portionof the tangentially adjacent convolution of the coil spring next to therear. The disclosed arrangement of rendering the inception of eachtiewire section an integral extension of the coil spring top convolutionhas certain advantages in the total structure, the last portion of theconvolution merging into the first portion of the section; but thisintegrality between convolution and section could be omitted byextending the two separately into each clip. Each tiewire sectiontraverses, at its first and second ends, two of the clips 44, while eachof those clips also contains the end of the next lengthwise adjacentsection, thus mechanically attaching together in tandem all of thetiewire sections. These explanations are thought to complete anunderstandable description of the ninth form of the invention containedin Figs. 20 to 23. On Fig. 20 one of the clips 44 is shown in itspreclosed position, showing how the curved extension 58 of each topconvolution 32 is passed into the clip, whereat it merges with theissuing straight portion 59 of the tiewire. The construction illustratedby these figures may have its tiewire portions 59, 50, 6|, which extendintegrally between tie points, formed with an upwardly crowned or archedarrangement M, as best seen in Fig. 21, this being on the principles andfor the purposes explained in connection with the similar archingstructure 41 of Fig. 2.

As Fig. 23 shows, the clip M at each tie point embraces portions of thefollowing, (1) the first straight portion 59 of one tiewire where itmerges with the last curved portion of the front coil convolution, (2)the last straight portion SI of the preceding tiewire, these twotiewires thus being clamped together in tandem, and (3) a portion of theopposite top convolution 23 of one of the rear coil springs; andadditionally, not shown, it may be desirable to include with the mergedportions 58 and 59, (4) the other end of the front top convolution 23,thus stabilizing such top convolution.

The final or tenth form seen in Fig. 24: is a modification of the ninthform. The plate clips 44 are replaced by wound wire clips 64, eachenclosing, as before, a combined tiewire and convolution portion 58, 59and the front portion of the convolution of the next coil spring to therear. However, in this case, preferably, the clip does not enclose theleft end of a tiewire extension piece 6l, since this extension piece,instead of traversing a clip and terminating to the left of it isactually made use of to provide the wound wire clip 64. In this way theleft end of each tiewire section, without the need of separate clips, iscombined and tied in with the enclosed elements 59 and 32. Following thesuccessive portions 59, 60 and GI of each tiewire, the terminal or leftend thereof is wrapped into three turns of a compact helix, constitutingthe clip, beyond which to the left extent the tiewire portions 59, 60and 6!, with the last mentioned again wrapped, at the next tie point, toclip together these parts and a short length of the top convolution 32of the next coil spring to the rear.

The intermittently arched sections of the continuous element or tiewire,as shown at 4!, 41 in Figs. 2, 19, 21, provide an integral preformedspring element adapted for use in a sprung article, such as a bedmattress; wherein the wire element is in tandem sections each archedupend of one section and the second. end of the 1p wardly ooutward1y.end ach arm ntainin a zigzag construction of the wireaffording a substantial load-supporting function; the tiewire portionsbetween the convex arches being adapted to be mounted upon, for exampleclipped or secured to, some other elements of the spring structure.

Among other variations of mattress spring structure are the followingforms. The coil spring rows may be differentially treated. Assumingtwelve longitudinal rows across the total width, a middle group, as ofsix, may be interconnected by tiewires having zigzag areas ashereinabove described, while the side groups have plain prior-art typeof tiewires. The invention is thus embodied where most needed andeconomy is effected elsewhere.

In another form the longitudinal rows of coil springs may be tiedtogether by old or new tiewire types, conventional or novel, and runninglongitudinally between the coil-spring rows; but this system beingsupplemented by overlying special tiewires arranged longitudinallybetween the regular ones and crossing the diameters of the coil springtop convolutions in each row or in selected rows; and tied or clipped tothe convolutions at the tie or crossing points; each such specialtiewire being shaped with zigzag areas either confined to locationsbetween coil spring convolutions or to the circular spaces inside theconvolutions, or else of the full tiewire length. Any of such specialtiewire arrangements may have their zigzag areas also arched to increasethe springy supporting area of the entire structure.

Or, the preceding disclosure may be converted, or supplemented further,by arranging diametrically crossing tiewires transverse to the regularand special tiewires just described, thus additionally tying each of thecoil spring longitudinal rows to the others thereof and providingfurther and zigzag supporting areas.

Still another variation relates more especially to an improvement in themattress spring structure when its elements are held together by metalclips of the plate variety, such as the clips 44 in fiatwise position.In the variation in discussion both of these functions are attained byan improvement in the construction of the liplate clip per se and inrelation to the tiewire or tiewire portion traversing the clip. By thismodified arrangement the tiewire need not have a series of crimps 42,and need not have any crimps longitudinally outside of the clip, andinside of the clip need have no more than a single crimp, this being aV-shaped offset or crimp located within the clip and between oppositesides of the clip, so that when the clip is forced and squeezed to itsgripping condition, upon the tiewire and upon the coil springconvolutions that are also contained within the clip, these parts willbecome rigidly consolidated, the gripping of the V-crimp holding thetiewire against rotation, and effectively holding it also againstendwise sliding displacement.

There have thus been disclosed a number of different embodiments of aspring mattress construction, or the spring structure thereof, embodyingthe principles and attaining the objects of the present invention; butas various matters of construction, combination and detail may bevariously modified without departing from the principles involved it isnot intended to limit the invention to such matters except to the extentset forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spring mattress construction the spring structure of whichcomprises a system of upright coil springs arranged in longitudinal rowsand formed with top and bottom end convolutions, and a system oflongitudinal tiewires located substantially in the plane of endconvolutions of the coil springs, and each longitudinal tiewireextending adjacently between two rows of such end convolutions and beingclipped by a series of clips thereto along a longitudinal series of tiepoints; said spring structure being characterized in that each of saidlongitudinal tiewires is formed with widened areas each consisting ofzigzag bendings of substantial transverse extent, and each constitutinga generally horizontal open-work load-supporting area of tiewire midwaybetween the coil springs, and said tiewire having crimps to provide alaterally offset portion which seats the clip therein, and said clipbeing arranged to hold said last-named offset portion firmly against theadjacent end convolutions of the upright coil springs in a way toprevent rotation of the tiewire, each portion of the tiewire having itszigzag area arched upwardly between the convolutions of successive coilsprings thereby to produce a curved structural arch adapted to receiveand support a substantial part of the load on the mattress.

2. A spring mattress construction as in claim 1 and wherein the crimpedtiewire at each tie point has itscrimps wholly contained within andcooperating with the clip thereat, thereby to prevent twisting oftiewire; and means to prevent displacement of each tiewire relative tothe convolutions.

3. A structure as in claim 1 and wherein the tiewire has crimpsextending laterally beyond and exteriorly of the clip to engage the edgeof the clip thereby serving to prevent longitudinal displacement.

NATHAN C. GOLDBERG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 381,060 Donnell Apr. 10, 1888 608,048 Jacks-an July 26, 18981,847,230 Zimmerman Mar. 1, 1932 1,860,699 Zimmerman May 31, 19322,052,325 Travis Aug. 25, 1936 2,134,371 Nachman Oct. 25, 1938 2,151,155Rymland Mar. 21, 1939 2,240,051 OMalley Apr. 29, 1941 2,242,919 Nachmanet a1 May 20, 1941 2,246,893 Nordmark June 24, 1941 2,514,475 ColletteJuly 11, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 242,399 Great BritainNov. 12, 1925 481,342 Great Britain May 18, 1938 206,149 SwitzerlandOct. 16, 1939

